Description

In this one-hour webinar, which is part of the Hot Topics series, Ruth-Anne O'Gorman, PHN RN/BSN, and Darsha Spalinger, RN/BSN describe how a small Public Health Center on a remote Alaskan Island successfully planned and ran a community-wide mass vaccination clinic. Their presentation features two public health nurses from the Kodiak Public Health Center who will discuss their experiences and lessons learned during the planning and implementation stages of this project.

Air date: September 13, 2005

Learning Objectives

Describe the planning process for the Kodiak exercise, including the involvement of the borough and state agencies as well as local civic groups.

Discuss the stations, roles, and functions activated in the Kodiak exercise.

Discuss the outcome and results of the Kodiak exercise.

Intended Audience

Public Health planners, nurses and staff who are or might be involved in; community-level planning and training for public health emergencies; Community and local emergency planning committee members

Presenters

Ruth-Anne O'Gorman, PHN RN/BSN, has been the lead Public Health Nurse at the Kodiak Public Health Center for the past six years, following her move to Alaska in 1999. Prior to arriving in Alaska, she was a Nursing Supervisor and field nurse at the Visiting Nurses Association of Cape Code, Massachusetts, and a Community Health Nurse at the Paterson, New Jersey Public Health Department.

Darsha Spalinger, RN/BSN, is a lifetime resident of Alaska and has been a State Public Health Nurse for 15 years. In this role, she provides core nursing functions to the villages of Kodiak Island and the city of Kodiak. She also currently works with the Kodiak Local Emergency Planning Committee, preparing the community for public health emergencies.